Whitney McGee Psychological Services PLLC

Whitney McGee Psychological Services PLLC Help, hope and healing for children, teens, young adults, and families. Therapy and consultation for emotional and behavioral challenges.

Specialties include care for anxiety, trauma, and early childhood (ages 3-9).

Parents sometimes say:“My child studied for hours, but blanked on the test.”This is actually a common effect of anxiety ...
04/15/2026

Parents sometimes say:
“My child studied for hours, but blanked on the test.”

This is actually a common effect of anxiety on the brain.

When stress hormones increase, the brain prioritizes survival over higher-level thinking, which can temporarily disrupt memory retrieval.

Helping kids manage anxiety before and during tests can improve both confidence and academic performance.

Evidence-based treatments for anxiety often include skill building and gradual exposure to feared situations, such as practice tests, which are used in Exposure Therapy.

If your child or teen struggles with test anxiety, please reach out for support. Help and hope are available.

04/13/2026

When kids feel anxious, their nervous system goes into fight-or-flight mode, making it harder to think clearly.

Teaching simple calming strategies can help children return to a more regulated state where the brain can focus and recall information.

Two strategies supported by research include:
• Slow breathing to calm the body
• Grounding techniques to refocus attention

These approaches are commonly used in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and anxiety treatments for youth.

Tip for parents:
Practice these skills during calm moments, not only when anxiety is high.

Discipline is tricky. Why does it seem so hard?Because sometimes we focus on discipline as consequences instead of disci...
04/10/2026

Discipline is tricky. Why does it seem so hard?

Because sometimes we focus on discipline as consequences instead of discipline as feedback to educate and train.

What would happen if we shifted our focus to discipline as learning rather than punishment?

Punishment may stop behavior temporarily. But when our focus is on stopping behavior without addressing the root cause, behavior challenges often recur, leaving kids and parents feeling stuck.

When we focus on what research tells us about brain development, we see that learning happens best when we feel safe and connected.

Connection and co-regulation teach children how to manage emotions and make better choices. Correction comes from working together when the brain and body are regulated to solve problems and learn new skills.

Connect > co-regulate > identify the root > learn new skills > correct

04/09/2026

When emotions are big, try this:

• Notice the feeling
• Validate the emotion
• Help the child calm their body

Connection supports a child’s experience of safety and regulation. Feeling safe and connected helps children have the courage to face new challenges, build skills, and learn from experience.

When kids are anxious about tests, what adults say can either help calm their nervous system or increase pressure.Helpfu...
04/07/2026

When kids are anxious about tests, what adults say can either help calm their nervous system or increase pressure.

Helpful responses do three things:
1. Validate feelings
2. Encourage problem-solving
3. Reduce catastrophic thinking

Research from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy shows that helping kids challenge anxious thoughts can significantly reduce performance anxiety.

For example:

Anxious thought:
“I’m going to fail.”

More helpful, balanced thought:
“I studied and will try my best.”

Connecting to emotions coupled with small changes in language can help children build confidence and emotional regulation skills over time.

Many children and teens experience test anxiety, especially as academic expectations increase.For some kids, anxiety sho...
04/07/2026

Many children and teens experience test anxiety, especially as academic expectations increase.

For some kids, anxiety shows up as physical symptoms like stomachaches or headaches. For others, it appears as avoidance, procrastination, or negative self-talk.

When anxiety becomes intense, it can interfere with a child’s ability to show what they actually know.

The good news: research-backed strategies can significantly reduce test anxiety and improve both confidence and performance.

Parents can help by:
• Teaching calming skills
• Supporting healthy study routines
• Helping kids challenge anxious thoughts
• Keeping expectations realistic and supportive

Approaches from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are particularly effective for reducing test anxiety in children and teens.

When children seem restless, overwhelmed, or unable to focus, it’s often their nervous system asking for support — not s...
04/04/2026

When children seem restless, overwhelmed, or unable to focus, it’s often their nervous system asking for support — not simply a behavior problem.

Children regulate their emotions and attention through their bodies and senses. When the brain receives the right kind of sensory input, it can shift from a state of stress or overload back toward calm and readiness to learn.

Research shows that supportive sensory input can help improve emotional regulation, attention, and coping skills for many children — especially those with anxiety, ADHD, or sensory sensitivities.

Sensory supports work because they engage the body’s natural calming systems:
• Movement helps organize the brain and increase alertness.
• Deep pressure can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting calm.
• Predictable quiet spaces reduce sensory load so children can reset.

The key is noticing what your child’s nervous system responds to best. Some children need movement to focus. Others need quiet, pressure, or fewer sensory demands.

When we respond to sensory needs instead of trying to push through them, we help children build the self-awareness and regulation skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.

If your child frequently seems overwhelmed by noise, transitions, or busy environments, a child psychologist can help identify which supports may work best for them.

04/03/2026

Transitions can be difficult for kids.

Understanding the developmental importance of play and personal choices is critical.

Helpful strategies:

• give warnings before changes
• maintain predictable routines
• offer limited choices when possible

Connection says, “I see you.” Predictability says, “I’m safe.” Both reduce stress.

04/02/2026

Using activities kids enjoy, like blowing bubbles and dandelions or art activities, can make it easier to practice this skill. Something as simple as placing a stuffed animal on your child’s stomach while they’re lying down and challenging them to notice if the animal rises and falls as they breathe slowly in and out can help.

We learn best when we feel safe and connected – when we’re already in a place of calm. The more we practice the stronger the neural pathways for deep breathing become.

Once deep breathing becomes more natural, we can encourage children to try it with us in response to minor daily frustrations. Modeling, co-regulation, and repetition makes skills easier to remember during times of stress.

03/30/2026

Meltdowns are tricky. When children get upset, their grown-ups may struggle with feeling grounded and regulated too.

It can be hard to know what to say.

Instead of “Calm down,” try:
• “I see this is really hard.”
• “I’m right here with you.”
• “It’s ok to feel mad/sad/upset.”
• “Would you like a hug or some space?”
• “I’m listening. We can figure this out when you’re ready.”

Connection helps children and adults regulate.

It’s hard when the children we care about feel overwhelmed. We want to “fix” things, but we can’t. We don’t have control...
03/26/2026

It’s hard when the children we care about feel overwhelmed. We want to “fix” things, but we can’t. We don’t have control over the world or how it affects their nervous system.

However, we can co-regulate by modeling awareness of feelings and needs and by offering tools for soothing the senses and the body.

Helpful strategies include:
• slow, deep breathing
• gentle movement and exercise
• appealing to the senses by reducing stimulation and offering sensory tools that are calming and organizing, such as soothing scents, rhythmic books or music, rocking)
• deep pressure (hugs, gentle squeezes, wrapping in a blanket, heavy blankets, shoulder wraps)
• naming feelings and describing shifting body reactions

Kids learn regulation through practice and supportive relationships.

Not all stress responses are loud.Some children respond to overwhelm by withdrawing, becoming quiet, or shutting down.Th...
03/25/2026

Not all stress responses are loud.

Some children respond to overwhelm by withdrawing, becoming quiet, or shutting down.

This “freeze” response is the nervous system’s way of protecting itself. Gentle connection and patience help kids feel safe again.

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2201 Spinks Road, Suite 258
Flower Mound, TX
75022

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